Senate Democrats on Monday night failed in an effort to delay a confirmation vote on President Trump‘s nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson.
The Senate voted 56-43 to advance Tillerson’s vote to the Senate floor. Unless Democrats agree to expedite the process, the Senate will vote on Tillerson’s nomination on Wednesday.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday swore to delay every one of Trumps’ cabinet nominees unless they disclosed how they felt about Trump’s recent executive order that banned inhabitants from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.
“Democrats and Republicans alike and the American people most of all deserve to know whether Mr. Tillerson would implement this executive order or not because it seems to directly contradict comments he made under oath to a committee,” Schumer said on the floor.
Despite being against Trump’s executive order on immigration, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) voted to advance Tillerson’s nomination.
This is shameful. How is this making American safe? @POTUS needs to end this dangerous #MuslimBan https://t.co/Eym8mTQRS5
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) January 28, 2017
Warner spent the weekend at Dulles National Airport pressing customs officials. He is also joining Democrats in both the House and Senate in protesting Trump’s executive order on Muslim immigration in front of the Supreme Court.
Joining Warner in advancing Tillerson’s nomination were Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine.).
It is unclear how either Warner, Manchin, Heitkamp, and King will vote for Tillerson.
Proud to be standing with refugees like Farrah & against @POTUS‘s un-American Executive Order. #NoBan pic.twitter.com/khAo72KxqX
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) January 30, 2017
Democrats and Republicans alike have expressed concern over Tillerson’s global business ties, especially to Russia. Documents leaked in December revealed that Tillerson was the director of a U.S.-Russia oil firm.
